Actress Rose McGowan To Appear On TV's The Doctors To Speak Out About Pulmonary Fibrosis, Disease That Killed Her Father

Actress Leads Awareness Activities for Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis' Daughters of PF program

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis announced today motion picture and television actress Rose McGowan will be a guest on Friday, December 14th on CBS TV's The Doctors. She willshare her tragic personal story of how she watched her father suffer and die from the incurable lung disease, Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) and help raise awareness of the disease that kills as many Americans as breast cancer each year To view local TV listings for the show, visit: http://www.thedoctorstv.com.

"Pulmonary Fibrosis is a horrible, horrible way to go," said Rose McGowan. "It makes me quite angry that not a lot of people know about it. I want to help change that."

Perhaps best known for her roles on TV's long-running, Charmed, and the 2011 motion picture, Conan the Barbarian, among others, McGowan lost her father, artist Daniel McGowan, in 2009 to PF. PF has no cure and no FDA-approved treatments and causes uncontrollable and irreversible scarring in the lung tissue, causing its victims to suffocate.

McGowan is taking a lead role in the effort build awareness to fight the disease and is working closely with the CPF, a non-profit foundation.

As CPF's Ambassador and Chair of The Daughters of PF program, McGowan is helping generate wide public awareness about PF, which has thus far been little known to the broad U.S. public. In so doing, she intends to use her celebrity to shine a spotlight on PF, much as other prominent individuals have done for diseases such as AIDS, breast cancer, Parkinson's, and others.

"We are honored that Rose is stepping in front of this cause and speaking out and helping give patients and families a voice in fighting this horrible disease," said Mishka Michon, CEO of the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis. "Because she has been directly affected by PF through her father's illness and death, she has a unique perspective and personally understands the plight of patients and their families. Her efforts will contribute to forever changing the landscape for this little known killer and will also help find successful treatments and eventually a cure."

Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a lung disorder characterized by a progressive scarring – known as fibrosis -- and deterioration of the lungs, which slowly robs its victims of their ability to breathe. Approximately 128,000 Americans suffer from PF, and there is currently no known cause or cure. An estimated 48,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. PF is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of patients die within five years of diagnosis. Sometimes PF can be linked to a particular cause, such as certain environmental exposures, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, residual infection, or autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. However, in many instances, no known cause can be established. When this is the case, it is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

About Daughters of PF

In 2011, the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis launched a new effort inspired by the tens of thousands of daughters (and others) who have seen a parent suffer from PF. The women involved in Daughters of PFare professional women in various fields and specialties including legal, medical, and educational. The women are creating projects across the country and in their local areas to increase awareness and understanding of PF and also holding fundraisers to raise needed money for research and patient support services. Their efforts are reflective of their interests and talents and will allow them to make a difference right where they are. For more information, contact the CPF at daughters@coalitionforpf.org or call 1-888-222-8541, ext. 702.

About the CPF

The CPF is a 501C(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2001 to accelerate research efforts leading to a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), while educating, supporting, and advocating for the community of patients, families, and medical professionals fighting this disease. The CPF funds promising research into new approaches to treat and cure PF; provides patients and families with comprehensive education materials, resources, and hope; serves as a voice for national advocacy of PF issues; and works to improve awareness of PF in the medical community as well as the general public. The CPF's nonprofit partners include many of the most respected medical centers and healthcare organizations in the U.S. With more than 26,000 members nationwide, the CPF is the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to advocating for those with PF. For more information please visit www.coalitionforpf.org or call (888) 222-8541.